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Force field
A Force field is an energy barrier. The Earth Starfleet began research on force fields in 2147. (ENT: "Vox Sola") Force fields can be produced with a strength ranging from level 1 to level 10. A level 10 force field is the strongest and is mainly used when maximum protection is required. For example a scientific experiment from which to outcome is unknown or known to be explosive in nature. (TNG:"Realm of Fear") If a force field is active, an object or a transporter beam cannot pass through it. Although this is the expected standard behavior of a force field this is not always true. The Borg are known not to be stopped by force fields; they can adapt and simply walk through the field. Even defensive force fields can be penetrated. This is can be done when the frequency of the shield is known and the weapon is adjusted to that frequency. ("Star Trek: Generations"). Chroniton torpedos cannot be stopped by normal shielding but require some kind of temporal shielding. (VGR: "Year of Hell, Part I"). Force fields can be activated from various locations. On Starfleet starships there are emitter points at almost every junction along every corridor. The computer can be programmed to run a series of force field activations and de-activations within the ship, effectively creating a protected corridor which can follow a person. Commander Data used this technique with great control when he commandeered the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)|USS Enterprise-D]] on stardate 44085.7. He also demonstrated another technique involving instructing the computer to implement a scan-series of force field activations, activated by his movements along a short distance of corridor, thus forcing the security team to back away from him. (TNG: "Brothers"). :Presumably, to be cut in half by a force field is extremely dangerous, because Lt. Worf warned the rest of the team to stay back as the field approached. The structural integrity of a ship or starbase can be enhanced by force fields. This way the hull can absorb more mechanical stresses. In the event of outer hull breach, force fields are automatically deployed to protect the damaged part from the influences of space; at the same time it prevents decompression of the entire deck by keeping the atmosphere in. During critical situations (such as ship-to-ship battles), if the main defensive force field (shield) is ruptured, and a section of the ship is destroyed, it takes longer for the computer to re-establish the structural integrity field than usual because of the large energy demands already placed on the vessel. In this short space of time, sections of a vessel can indeed be exposed to the vacuum of space. Captain Kirk was lost to the vacuum of space in this way, in 2293, when the Enterprise B was struck by the nexus energy ribbon. (Star Trek: Generations). On holodecks, force fields are used to give objects substance so people can manipulate them like in real life. In sickbay a force field can be used to separate a patient from the rest of the crew when a contagious disease is diagnosed or when that patient needs a specific environment to stay alive. (VOY: "Demon") :In essence all force fields are the same - only the function they perform depends on their strength. A transporter can still beam something inside a containment field but not through a defensive shield. Although this might something to do with the procedures crewmembers have to follow when preforming a certain task.